AC withstands Bellmont run; win county game, 7-4

April 9, 2013

A LEAP IN TALENT—AC senior Bess Fiechter lays out for a fly ball in the outfield. Adams Central proved their wherewithal on Monday night when they hosted the Bellmont Squaws. Despite being down 4-0 early, the Lady Jets scored the final seven runs to win a competitive softball game, 7-4. (Cassandra Lehman)

By

Dylan Malone

In the opening two frames it appeared as though Bellmont was the returning state runners-up and Adams Central was the rebuilding squad in Tuesday's inter-county rivalry between the Jets and the Squaws.
Bellmont held a 4-0 advantage taking advantage of four AC miscues in the first two innings but seven runs later, the Lady Jets showed stellar run support and pulled out the 7-4 victory.
The comeback loss is nothing new for Bellmont as the Squaws had the Jets on the ropes last season as well but fell at the Teepee by a 6-4 score in similar fashion.
"We just gave up too many runs," Bellmont coach Rick Burkhalter noted. "It's going to take some time to get going."
Courtney Scherer got on base with a bunt single in the first inning for Bellmont and Taylor Kuhnle followed suit with a slap single. The next batter was Hailee Hormann who managed an in-the-park homerun courtesy of two AC throwing errors as the Lady Jets seemed out of sorts allowing all three runs to score.
Jessica Walther reached on an error in the second inning and then Madison Gephart followed suit as the Jets committed their fourth folly to put two on with nobody out.
On the next pitch, Gephart would attempt to steal second but the Jets' catcher, Jayla Byer, threw the ball straight to a charging Olivia Macklin from short who threw out Walther at the plate trying to take advantage of the throw to second.
Amidst the hub-bub, Gephart stole third and the throw squirted away from Whitney Baller and Gephart leapt up and made for home. Macklin picked up the loose softball and fired it home. Byer lost the handle on the ball and Gephart scored with a slide avoiding a potential double play at the plate and Bellmont led 4-0.
The Jets went quietly in the first and second but managed two runs in the third. Bess Fiechter tripled to right-centerfield to start the rally. Her sister, Sarah Fiechter, earned a walk on the next at-bat and Bess would score on a wild pitch to Madi Schwartz moving Sarah to third.
Sarah would score from third base when Schwartz hit a deep fly out to centerfield for a sacrifice fly and a 4-2 score in favor of Bellmont.